Afriana is an Indonesian Student under the Lotus+ Programme studying Management Sciences and Business Studies at University of Limerick for 6 months.

The Beginning…

Gazing out of the airplane window, I was thinking of the endless questions that almost every international student has. Have I made the right decision? What is the place like?  Will I make friends? What will the food be like? After almost 36 long hours, my flight landed at Dublin airport. I was overwhelmed, but full of hope and excitement. I walked through the immigration gates, picked up my heavy luggage, and found the University staff in UL. That was a moment, quite frankly, a special one. 

Let me take you through my personal experiences as an international student in UL. A new culture, new friends, new responsibilities, and most worryingly – different weather! UL student life has brought a whole new dimension to my learning experience. It has put me outside my comfort zone, but in a very enjoyable way.

In a nutshell, Limerick is a very multicultural place…

In the first couple of weeks I met a few Ghanaians, Brazilian, and many more. It was a course I really wanted to do, and I do feel like I am getting more than I had expected. In UL, I enjoy being around equally conscientious, focused and passionate students and staff.

UL is full of surprising experiences.

The more you explore, the more you learn, and the more you discover things you weren’t aware of. In my opinion, studying in UL is far beyond just getting a degree. From personality development and communication skills to international exposure, studying here is a great learning curve.

Culture shock…the good kind!

Embarking on a semester as an international student is exciting! So, the first thing you should know is about the weather and the culture.  I’ve been forewarned to get ready for the best year or semester of my life and that although I might run into a small “culture shock bump” the journey is worth it. Yes, this is completely true. However, a warning on culture shock is not the only one I should have received. No one warned me that my days as an international student would be completely filled (to the brim) with change. My student life was quite rocking! I enjoyed my courses, and never felt like I was away from my home. I made a lot of friends through social trips organised by the University, and also got involved in sports to meet new people like Zumba in UL version (zULmba) and I learn Irish dance (Tap dance), and joined the Christian Community in this university.

Top Tips

And before you arrive here, the things you should prepare are your VISA. Make sure that you have made your visa as soon as possible. Because we don’t know what problems can occur. Make sure that you bring all your important documents.

So the three tips from me, here they are:

1. Be ready for the great explosion experiences in your life mentally.
2. Find the nearest accommodation around the UL campus
3. Familiarise yourself with your new city.

So, beyond words, It is something to be explored; it has something new, something challenging, something exciting, something great for every individual.. roar !

Many thanks to Afriana for sharing her story with us! Check out University of Limerick

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